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LIBRARY 


University  of  California. 


Qass 


Educational 
Activities 

FOR  BOYS 


il 


educational  Activities  for  Boys 


Reprinted  from  Association  Boys,  a  magazine  published  bi- 
monthly in  the  interest  of  work  with  boys  in  Young  Men's 
Christian  Associations,  by  the  International  Committee  of 
Young  Men's  Christian  Associations,  New  York  City.  The 
subscription  price  is  $i.oo  a  year  in  advance. 


New  York 

Young  Men's  Christian  Association  Press 

1907 


CONTENTS 

Educational  Work  for  Boys    -        -        Walter  T,  Diack 

Public  School  Manual  Training  and  the  Association 

H.  W,  Stone 

A  Boys*  Summer  School       -        -        -        W,  B.  Ferris 

Observation  Parties  and  Educational  Tours 

Charles  R.  Scott 

The  Demand  for  Vocational  Training    -    Rober*  "^   "•''/ 

Practical  Talks — Their  Operation  and  Secret  ol 
their  Success        .        -        -        .        Cecil  M.  Daggett 

Manual  Training  for  Association  Boys     Philo  R.  Brooke 

Problems  of  the  Working  Boys'  School     C.  C.  Robinson 

Training  for  Office  Work         -        -        -        L  D.  Show 

Physical  Education         -        -        -        George  J.  Fisher 

Notes 


CorrBioHTtD.  190Y. 

Intbrmatiomal  Committsb 

s    or 

YOUMO  MBM'S  CK«I«TU»  AMOCUTIOIft 


O-       H.. 

UNIVERS! 

^  OF 


Educational  Work  for  Boys 

Wftlter  T.  Di&ck,  General  Secretary.  West  Side  Branch, 
New  York  City 

The  small  percentage  of  boys  who  are  really  equipped 
for  their  life  work  when  they  enter  business  appalls  one. 
In  Greater  New  York  alone  there  are  280,000  boys  be- 
tween the  ages  of  twelve  and  seventeen,  of  whom  only 
a  small  proportion  are  in  school.  There  are  more  boys 
ten  years  old  in  school  than  of  any  other  age.  Thou- 
sands drop  out  between  the  ages  of  twelve  and  fourteen, 
and  at  sixteen  years  of  age  ninety  per  cent  of  all  of  them 
have  left  school.  One  investigator  reports  that  by  the 
time  boys  of  this  country  reach  the  age  of  fifteen,  fifty 
per  cent  of  them  have  become  workers. 

One  of  the  greatest  opportunities  of  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association  to-day  is  to  help  fill  up  the  broad 
gap  which  indicates  the  difference  between  the  instruc- 
tion offered  in  the  public  schools  and  that  which  is 
needed  by  men  for  their  life's  work. 

Weakness   of   Public  Evening  School   Instruction 

So  far  we  have  had  in  our  evening  educational  classes 
about  5,000  boys  and  most  of  them  have  simply  studied 
mechanical  drawing  or  the  commercial  branches.  There 
are  those  who  maintain  that  because  the  night  schools 
offer  opportunities  along  this  line  the  young  men 
should  be  compelled  to  go  there,  but  it  is  a  difficult 
problem    to    persuade    them    to    attend    such    schools, 

1  (u^i^r; 


EducationAl  Activities  for  Boys 

Futhermore,  after  they  have  enrolled,  their  attendance 
is  very  irregular.  In  one  of  the  large  evening  schools  in 
New  York  City  2,000  men  were  enrolled  to  attend  four 
class  sessions  a  week  during  this  winter.  Ten  per  cent 
of  them  failed  to  return  for  the  second  session,  and 
thirty  per  cent  of  them  dropped  out  within  three  months. 
The  public  evening  schools  fail  to  attract  students  for 
certain  definite  reasons.  (i)  The  students  var>'  too 
greatly  in  ages:  young  boys  and  mature  men  work  side 
by  side.  (2)  Primarily  because  of  the  size  of  the  classes, 
there  is  a  lack  of  private  instruction.  (3)  The  instruc- 
tion is  too  theoretical:  it  is  modeled  from  the  day  school 
plan.  A  yoimg  man  enters  the  evening  school  for 
specific  knowledge  that  should  be  given  him  in  the  very 
shortest  time  and  as  practically  as  possible.  To  ask  a 
man  to  spend  weeks  in  preliminary  study  before  giving 
him  the  thing  he  really  wants  is  discouraging. 

Tub  Association's  Opportunity 

If  the  schools  and  colleges  are  not  ready  to  give  voca- 
tional and  industrial  instruction,  is  not  this  an  oppor- 
timity  for  the  Association?  Can  we  not  just  here  fit 
into  the  great  scheme  of  instructional  organization  and 
make  it  possible  for  yoimg  men  to  have  more  of  these 
schools  for  which  there  is  such  a  great  need  ? 

Proper  education  is  becoming  a  question  of  vital 
interest  to  whole  communities  and  cities.  Massa- 
chusetts has  recently  appointed  a  commission  to  study 
the  industrial  situation  of  its  young  men,  looking  toward 
their  better  training.  Industrial  concerns  are  studying 
the  problem.  The  General  Electric  Company  at  Lynn, 
Mass.,  conducts  a  school  for  the  young  men  in  its  em- 
ploy, in  which  400  students  spend  one  hour  per  day  in 

4 


Educational  Work  for  Boys 

study  on  company  time.  The  company  does  this 
because  it  believes  that  in  time  these  young  men  will  be 
sufficiently  trained  and  developed  to  assume  positions 
of  responsibility  as  foremen,  superintendents  or  man- 
agers. 

Employers  are  demanding  and  will  demand  better 

preparation  and  competency  on  the  part  of  their  em- 

Ikployees  and  young  men  now  see  the  necessity  of  improv- 


■l^^-' 


OFFICE  boys'   class,   WEST  SIDE,   NEW   YORK 

ing  themselves  in  their  various  vocations.  But  how 
can  they  improve  themselves  without  an  opportunity 
to  do  so? 

Things  Important  to  Consider 

It  is  a  high  aim  to  help  boys  fill  up  their  leisure  hours 
and  make  such  use  of  them  as  will  count  for  their  future 
happiness  and  advancement.  In  doing  so,  however,  I 
believe  that  we  should  follow  the  inclination  of  the  boy. 
One  of  the  greatest  privileges  is  to  discover  boys  to 
themselves  and  to  help  them  find  that  for  which  they 

5 


Educational  Activities  for  Boyi 

are  best  fitted.  In  reaching  them  we  must  hold  out  the 
prospect  of  increasing  their  wage-earning  capacity.  For 
this  reason  there  should  not  only  be  more  illustrated 
and  popular  practical  talks  in  the  Association  buildings, 
but  in  shops  and  business  houses. 

Correspondence  schools  employ  large  forces  of  men 
to  solicit  students  through  personal  interviews.  Should 
not  the  Association  also  do  more  of  this,  which  in  all  our 
work  has  proved  the  most  effective  .  way  of  reaching 
nit-n ' 

That  all  educational  work  cannot  be  made  self-sup- 
porting must  be  emphasized.  No  college  students  pay 
the  full  cost  of  their  instruction.  Many  of  them  pay 
less  than  one  half  of  that  cost.  In  some  state  institu- 
tions they  pay  none.  Why,  then,  should  we  expect 
working  boys  to  do  that  which  we  do  not  require  of  the 
man  who  is  favored  and  who  could  easily  pay  the  full 
price  for  college  training? 

We  must  have  endowments  to  develop  our  educational 
work. 

What  Can  Be  and  Is  Being  Done 

There  will  always  be  need  of  instruction  in  the  ele- 
mentary branches  for  some  boys  and  in  the  business  or 
commercial  branches  for  others,  but  by  far  the  largest 
number  will  be  attracted  and  held  to  some  kind  of  edu- 
cational work  which  involves  the  use  of  the  hands. 
If  to  this  we  can  add  the  club  idea  we  will  have  some- 
thing that  is  worth  while,  for  work  and  play  will  be 
properly  combined. 

The  work  that  is  bcmg  done  by  tlic  iioys'  Club  at 
Avenue  A  and  Tenth  street.  New  York  City,  proves 
this.  In  that  club  15,000  boys  are  grouped  into  many 
small  clubs.    These  groups  of  boys  h^ve  become  so 

6 


Educational  Work  for  Boys 

numerous  that  the  evening  time  schedule  is  divided  into 
sections  so  that  the  different  groups  can  use  the  same 
room  at  different  hours. 

The  Holyoke,  Mass.,  Association  has  made  a  success 
of  industrial  work  in  its  club,  called  the  "Boys  Busy 
Builders."  The  New  York  Society  for  Ethical  Culture 
conducts  practical  work  by  taking  out  groups  of  boys  to 
inspect  bridges,  who  then  return  and  construct  with 
their  own  hands  miniature  bridges  after  having  exam- 
ined those  braces  and  beams  which  are  the  strongest  and 
the  way  in  which  they  are  used.  Th^y  study  derricks 
and  other  constructive  devices  in  the  same  way. 

il  The  boys  at  Springfield,  Ohio,  rebuilt  and  refurnished 
their  own  rooms.  They  made  the  furniture  and  put  in 
the  fireplace.  They  construct  their  own  game  tables 
and  make  their  own  magazine  covers.  The  boys  can 
and  want  to  do  all  these  things  when  the  work  is  attrac- 
tive, and  especially  when  it  is  competitive. 

il  'Another  very  important  line  of  educational  work 
that  the  Association  can  advance  is  that  of  encouraging 
young  men  and  boys  to  enter  college.  Why  cannot  the 
Association  organize  college  clubs  having  for  their 
motto,  "Every  man  to  have  a  college  training?"  If 
this  were  done  and  under  the  direction  of  such  a  club 
life  talks  on  various  occupations  by  prominent  men 
were  arranged,  could  not  a  desire  for  something  higher 
be  created  in  the  lives  of  young  men  ? 

When  we  learn  of  the  remarkable  cases  of  men  who 
have  attained  positions  of  influence  and  honor  because 
they  were  given  an  opportunity  and  because  they  had 
it  in  them,  does  it  not  make  us  more  eager  to  take  hold 
of  our  work  to  develop  manhood  with  the  earnestness 
which  it  deserves?  Our  greatest  task  is  to  inspire  boys 
and  make  "indifferent  boys  different." 

7 


Public   School   Manual  Training  and  the 
Association 

If.  W.  Stone.  General  Secretary.  Portland.  Ore. 

About  five  years  ago  there  was  not  a  single  manual 
training  school  in  Portland  or  in  the  state  of  Oregon. 
To-day  the  public  schools  of  this  city  are  thoroughly 
equipped  to  train  the  hands  as  well  as  the  head  and 
manual  training  is  a  part  of  the  school  curriculum. 
The  local  Association  was  partly  instrumental  in  the 
introduction  of  this  work  into  the  schools  of  the  city 
through  the  successful  operation  of  its  own  work, 
through  a  campaign  of  education  which  was  carried  on, 
and  by  the  Association  management  going  before  the 
school  board  and  showing  the  importance  of  manual 
training  for  the  schoolboy. 

The  actual  work  done  at  the  Association  carried  the 
greatest  weight.  About  ten  years  ago  the  educational 
and  boys*  departments  united  in  equipping  shops  with 
about  $2,500  worth  of  tools  and  benches  and  employed 
a  man  to  devote  his  entire  time  to  the  promotion  of 
manual  training.  Classes  were  held  in  the  afternoons 
after  the  public  school  hours.  As  many  as  six  diflferent 
classes  per  week,  lasting  two  hours  each,  kept  the  in- 
structors busy.  On  Saturday  mornings  the  class  com- 
bined shop  with  g\'mnasium  work,  many  boys  spending 
half  their  time  in  the  training  shops  and  half  in  the 
gymnasium.  This  co-ordination  was  ideal.  The  same 
shops  were  used  at  night  for  the  carpentry  classes,  and 

8 


Public  School  Manual  Training  and  the  Association 

s  were  unoccupied  for  only  a  small  amount  of  time. 
Economies  in  time  and  space  can  as  well  be  obtained 
by  maximum  use  of  equipment  and  hours  as  by  cutting 
down  actual  expenses. 

Manual  training  in  the  public  schools  was  first  estab- 
lished at  five  different  centers  and  the  former  Associa- 
-  tion  instructor  became  principal  of  all  that  work  in  the 
I  city.  All  the  teachers  under  him  received  their  train- 
ing in  the  Association  shops.  As  soon  as  this  work 
»  became  a  part  of  the  regular  public  school  instruction 
the  Association  classes  became  smaller',  but  this  did  not 
occasion  any  unusual  concern.  Our  experience  and 
judgment  leads  to  the  conclusion  that  where  the  public 
§  schools  of  a  city  make  manual  training  a  part  of  their 
regular  course  of  instruction  and  thereby  restrict  and 
narrow  the  field  for  the  Association,  still  we  are  justified 
in  equipping  and  running  shops  for  the  sake  of  the 
smaller  number  of  boys  who  desire  more  of  this  kind  of 
work  and  who  show  special  efficiency  in  handling  tools. 
Acting  on  this  basis  we  have  sought  to  specialize  along 
particular  lines  and  have  given  boys  with  peculiar 
aptitudes  opportunities  to  develop  in  that  direction  in 
which  they  are  particularly  interested.  In  addition, 
also,  to  using  the  shops  for  these  purposes  we  still  have 
them  for  the  extremely  important  shop  work  at  night. 


rr 


A  Boys*  Summer  School 

W.  B.  Ferris.  Educational  Director.  Cincinnati.  O. 

ff  No  other  feature  of  our  work  for  boys  has  evoked 
such  hearty  expressions  of  gratitude  and  pleasure  from 
parents  as  the  last  year's  summer  school,  nor  in  any 
other  feature  have  I  seen  the  boys  themselves  manifest 
such  intense  interest  and  such  a  bubbling  over  of  en- 
thusiasm. 

One  boy,  particularly,  who  seemed  to  have  been  mis- 
understood by  his  teacher,  who  h^d  had  difficulties  during 
the  year  and  whose  mother  was  all  but  discouraged, 
came  into  the  school  and  quickly  awakened  to  the 
possibilities  within  himself.  He  expressed  the  keenest 
interest  and  pleasure  in  his  work.  He  was  regular  in 
attendance  and  brought  in  four  other  boys  before  the 
end  of  the  term. 

A  woman  came  to  me  just  a  few  minutes  before  the 
opening  of  the  school.  She  had  left  home  before  8 
o'clock  that  morning  and  gone  from  one  end  of  the  city 
to  the  other,  stopping  at  four  or  five  places  where  she 
had  been  told  she  might  get  the  desired  help  for  her  boy. 
She  came  to  the  Association  as  a  last  resort,  not  know- 
ing that  we  were  conducting  such  a  school.'  Her  in- 
tense interest  in  her  boy's  education  and  her  look  of 
gratitude  upon  finding  that  we  would  instruct  him 
during  the  summer  were  enough  to  repay  much  of  the 
effort  in  its  organization,  and  have  spurred  me  on  to 
more  thoroughly  advertise  this  school  another  year. 

10 


w 


A  Boy^'  Summer  School 


A  business  man  residing  in  a  suburb,  whose  boy  had 
apparently  lost  all  interest  in  school  during  the  last 
few  weeks  before  its.  close  and  who  had  found  it  hard  to 
get  up  in  time  to  reach  school  only  a  few  blocks  away 

Bby  8:30  o'clock,  brought  in  his  boy  to  see  if  we  could 
help  him  get  ready  for  the  high  school.     In  a  few  days, 
he  came  in  again  and  asked  what  we  had  done  to  the 
H^boy.     He  was  up  and   ready  to  leave  home  before   7 


/  U  Kf\' 


^2^ 


m 


bUMMl.k    bCilOUL  CLASS,   CINCINNATI 

o'clock  in  the  morning  without  a  second  calling  and  was 
eager  to  get  to  school.  The  boy  passed  the  entrance 
examinations  to  the  high  school  without  difficulty. 

Our  boys'  summer  school  was  practically  forced  upon 
us  in  1905.  We  were  conducting  a  day  commercial 
school,  together  with  some  work  in  the  common  school 
branches  for  those  who  needed  it  in  preparation  for  the 
commercial  work.  Several  business  men  in  the  city 
urged  us  to  take  their  boys  during  the  summer  and  help 


Educatioiuil  Activities  for  Boyi 

them  make  up  for  time  lost  during  the  school  year  or 
improve  in  subjects  in  which  they  were  deficient  and 
conditioned.  We  accepted  a  few  boys  at  the  regular 
tuition  fee  of  $io  per  month,  but  found  that,  in  order  to 
give  them  the  help  they  needed,  it  would  be  necessar\' 
to  obtain  a  special  teacher.  This  was  done  and  the  boys 
got  along  nicely,  while  their  parents  seemed  more  than 
satisfied. 

That  experience  was  sufficient  to  lead  us  to  investi- 
gate the  matter  and  to  plan  definitely  for  such  a  school 
the  next  year.  The  superintendent  of  our  city  schools 
was  consulted,  as  well  as  the  principals,  many  of  whom 
I  found  were  much  opposed  to  schoolroom  work  for  any 
boy  during  the  summer.  They  all  were  willing  to 
admit,  however,  that  there  were  exceptions;  for  instance, 
those  who  were  behind  on  account  of  sickness,  the  mis- 
fit in  a  grade,  or  any  who  were  conditioned  in  one  or  two 
subjects.  Very  few  of  these  principals  thought  a  boy 
ought  to  study  more  than  three  subjects  during  the 
summer,  preferring  that  he  take  the  same  grade  an- 
other year. 

We  advertised  the  school  by  informing  principals  and 
teachers  what  we  expected  to  do.  This  was  done 
chiefly  by  personal  letters  and  interviews.  Blotters 
with  pictures  showing  scenes  in  our  swimming  pool, 
camp  and  school  room,  with  a  few  lines  giving  date  of 
camp,  opening  of  school,  and  tuition,  were  distributed 
to  the  pupils  of  the  sixth,  seventh  and  eighth  grades  of 
the  intermediate  school  and  to  the  first-year  students  of 
the  high  school.  A  folder  giving  definite  information  was 
sent  to  those  whose  names  were  given  to  us  by  prin- 
cipals. Several  of  these  folders  were  sent  to  different 
principals  and  teachers  to  be  handed  out  by  them. 
One  or  two  advertisements  were  put  in  the  daily  papers. 

12 


h 


A  Boys'  Summer  School 


At  the  last  meeting  of  the  Principals'  Association  be- 
fore the  close  of  the  public  schools,  I  presented  an  out- 
Hne  of  our  plans  and  asked  for  any  suggestions.  While 
no  particular  comment  was  made  then,  a  number  of 
principals  later  on  heartily  endorsed  the  scheme  and,  at 
our  request,  sent  us  names  of  those  in  their  classes  who 
might  be  helped  by  the  summer  school.  One  feature 
to  which  we  called  attention  in  our  announcements  was 
the  boys*  camp  which  began  on  the  Monday  after  the 
close  of  school  and  lasted  for  ten  days.  We  suggested 
that  the  boys  who  expected  to  take  t)ie  summer  school 
course  go  to  this  camp  or  get  out  into  the  country  for 
two  weeks  and  then  come  into  the  school.  We  expect 
to  make  the  camp  better  known  this  year. 

Fifty-one  boys  came  into  the  school  last  summer,  only 
two  or  three  of  whom  did  not  continue  in  regular  attend- 
ance and  their  leaving  was  caused  either  by  sickness  in 
the  family  or  by  departure  from  the  city.  I  do  not 
know  of  an  instance  where  a  boy  dropped  out  of  the 
class  because  he  tired  of  it. 

The  class  hours  were  from  8:30  to  11:30  o'clock,  with 
an  intermission  of  ten  or  fifteen  minutes,  during  which 
the  boys  adjourned  to  the  adjoining  game  and  reading 
room.  They  seemed  to  enjoy  the  rest  period  intensely. 
On  Tuesdays  and  Thursdays  the  boys  were  taken  to  the 
gymnasium  immediately  after  the  class  where,  in  "gym" 
suits,  they  had  a  short  calisthenic  drill,  a  tug  of  war,  or 
a  few  rounds  on  the  running  track  and  a  game  of  indoor 
base  ball  or  volley  ball,  and  then  took  a  plunge  in  the 
swimming  pool.  The  first  day  in  the  "gym,"  the  boys 
lined  up  and  the  question  was  asked,  "  How  many  know 
how  to  swim?"  Only  three  or  four  of  the  thirty  or 
more  boys  knew  how.  The  physical  director  offered  to 
teach  them  and  went  into  the  plunge  with  them  twice 

Id 


Educational  Activities  for  Boyt 

a  week  for  two  weeks  or  so,  by  t^^hich  time  nearly  all  had 
learned  to  take  care  of  themselves  in  the  water.  This 
feature  kept  the  interest  of  the  boys  stirred  up.  They 
were  also  given  the  privilege  of  using  the  g\^mnasium 
and  swimming  pool  on  Saturday  mornings.  A  day  or 
so  before  the  school  closed  we  went  out  to  Burnet  Woods 
for  a  general  good  time.  A  generous  limch — water- 
melon was  the  feature — was  provided  and  I  am  sure  the 
boys  will  long  remember  it  with  pleasure  in  connection 
with  their  summer's  work  here. 


Reports  were  issued  to  parents  every  two  weeks.  If 
a  boy  did  not  seem  to  make  the  expected  progress,  we 
sent  for  the  parents  and  talked  the  matter  over  with 
them  carefully.  At  the  close  of  the  term  a  statement  of 
the  exact  work  done  was  issued  to  each  student  with 
recommendations  for  his  promotion,  if  de8er\ing. 
Upon  enrollment  each  student  was  required  to  bring 

14 


A  Boys'  Summer^School 

his  report  from  the  public  school,  that  we  might  know 
his  standing  and  the  subjects  in  which  he  was  deficient. 
A  course  was  then  laid  out  for  him  covering  these  par- 
ticular subjects.  A  personal  interview  was  held  with 
the  parents  to  learn  as  far  as  possible  the  boy's  difficul- 
ties and  short-comings.  The  answers  to  our  questions 
were  noted  on  a  blank,  together  with  the  name  of  his 
teacher  and  school,  his  school  grade,  the  work  he  wished 
to  take  up  in  the  fall,  and  how  he  had  learned  of  our 
school — through  what  medium  of  advertising.  This 
blank  was  filed,  and  at  the  close  of  the  -term  his  progress 
was  noted,  also  whether  he  was  promoted  or  not.  He 
is  followed  up  from  time  to  time  during  the  year.  This 
gives  us  valuable  data  for  another  year. 

The  boys  were  not  exhausted  at  the  close  of  the  term, 
as  was  predicted  by  some  teachers,  but  were  in  the  best 
of  health.  They  had  enjoyed  their  work  and  regretted 
to  see  the  term  close.  I  think  they  considered  it  a 
pleasant  vacation. 


15 


^ERSITY 


Observation  Parties  and  Educational 
Tours 

Charles  R.  Scott.  State  Secretaiy  Boys'  Work.  New  Jersey 

Observation  parties  and  educational  tours  should  not 
be  confused  with  outings.  Their  object  is  to  develop  the 
observation  habit  in  boys  and  to  educate  them  through 
the  eye  and  ear.  This  may  be  accomplished  through 
a  strong  committee,  one  that  will  keep  before  boys  on  a 
tour  their  opportunities  to  learn,  rather  than  for  mere 
fun  and  frolic.  The  term  observation  party  has  been 
used  when  visiting  a  local  factor)'  or  institution,  and 
educational  tour  when  spending  one  or  more  days  on  a 
longer  trip,  visiting  a  score  or  more  of  places. 

At  first  these  privileges  were  planned  for  by  the  outing 
or  social  committees,  but  in  recent  years  this  work  has 
been  assigned  to  the  educational  work  committees, 
which  have  done  faithful  work  in  many  of  our  Associa- 
tions by  arranging  for  tours  of  inspection  and  observa- 
tion. 

New  Jersey  boys  have  made  educational  tours  for 
several  years.  They  have  gone  to  Washington.  Phila- 
delphia, Old  Point  Comfort,  Hampton,  Alexandria.  Mt. 
Vernon,  New  York,  Boston,  Portland,  the  White 
Mountains,  Lake  Champlain,  Lake  George,  and  many 
other  places  of  historic  and  modem  interest.  The  tours 
have  attracted  the  attention  of  all  classes  of  boys. 
Superintendents  and  principals  of  schools  have  encour- 


f 


Observation  Parties  and  Educational  Tours 


aged  the  boys  to  go  and  later  read  essays  about  their 
trips  to  their  classmates. 

While  the  trips  have  been  instructive  and  the  educa- 
tional idea  has  been  kept  uppermost,  the  boys  have  had 
great  fun.  In  a  crowd  boys  manufacture  entertain- 
ment just  as  naturally  as  they  watch  out  for  meal-time, 
so  it  is  seldom  a  serious  matter  to  provide  amusement 
on  the  trips.  They  are  quite  too  busy  in  "seeing  things" 
to  be  overcome  with  ennui.  The  trips  have  been 
the  main  subject  of  excited  conversation  for  days  at  a 
time  and  each  one  of  them  has  gone  down  in  each  boy's 
life  with  special  memories.  In  fact,  the  trouble  is  not  so 
much  in  keeping  the  boys  interested  as  in  preventing 
them  from  becoming  so  "interested"  that  they  allow 
their  enthusiasm  to  get  away  with  them;  but  even  that 
is  not  to  be  condemned  provided  it  does  not  carry  them 
too  far.  The  boys,  however,  have  always  seen  that  and 
have  "caught  on"  to  the  idea  of  always  being  gentlemen. 
That  solves  most  of  the  problems. 

A  definite  policy  has  been  followed  which  is  given 
here  briefly  as  suggestive  for  the  organization  of  similar 
trips  elsewhere. 

The  policy  for  the  year,  the  number  of  places  to  be 
visited,  and  the  number  of  parties  to  be  conducted 
should  be  settled  early,  so  the  boys  and  their  parents 
may  know  exactly  what  to  expect.  The  boys  can  then 
choose  the  trip  in  which  they  are  particularly  interested 
and  so  get  ready  for  it,  if  they  wish,  by  reading  on  the 
subject  or  in  any  other  way.  As  far  as  those  who  have 
the  tours  in  charge  are  concerned,  system  solves  many 
difficulties. 

The  places  which  may  be  visited  are  almost  inexhaust- 
ible. There  are  manufacturing  plants  and  large  stores 
with  their  complicated  systems  of  handling  their  huge 

17 


Educational  Activities  for  Boys 

amount  of  business  or  their  actual  production  of  goods. 
There  are  the  government  offices  from  the  city  hall,  the 
poUce  stations  and  fire  departments,  to  the  court  house 
and  officials,  and  the  state  capitol.  Then  there  are 
museums,  neighboring  colleges  and  universities,  news- 
paper offices  and  plants,  telephone  exchanges,  parks, 
and  so  on  indefinitely. 

Permission  to  visit  factories  or  other  establishments 
should  be  secured  at  least  one  month  in  advance, and  it 
is  important  to  again  notify  the  firm  to  be  visited  about 
twenty-four  hours  before  the  visit,  so  that  there  may 
be  no  misunderstanding  or  embarrassment  to  either 
party.  Some  firms  will  not  grant  permission  because 
they  think  the  boys  are  young  and  will  interfere  with 
the  employees.  As  a  precaution  it  is  necessary  in  every 
interview  or  letter  to  state  clearly  the  object  of  the  visit, 
give  some  idea  of  the  number  in  the  party  and  just  how 
it  is  to  be  conducted.  The  boys  should  be  warned  be- 
fore every  trip  not  to  ask  questions  of  employees  or  in 
any  way  hinder  their  work;  all  information  desired 
should  be  asked  of  the  guide.  The  boys  should  not 
touch  any  machinery  or  articles  manufactured  unless 
told  to  do  so.  They  should  act  as  gentlemen,  for  their 
example  will  largely  determine  whether  another  party 
may  have  similar  privileges. 

Usually  not  over  fifteen  boys  should  constitute  a 
touring  party,  so  that  every  member  can  see  and  hear 
what  the  guide  has  to  explain.  In  case  a  larger  number 
is  taken  divide  into  two  or  more  groups,  arrange  for  a 
leader  for  each  group  and  endeavor  to  have  more  than 
one  guide. 

It  is  a  good  plan  to  arrange  for  compositions  or  essays 
on  every  visit.  These  can  be  read  at  a  members*  meet- 
ing, and  besides  being  instructive  will  help  show  how 

]8 


r 


Observation  Parties  and  Educational  Tours 


profitably  hours  can  be  spent  in  this  way.  Each  com- 
position should  be  written  on  the  same  size  paper  and 
later  bound  in  a.  loose  leaf  binder.  This  will  serve  as  a 
record  for  the  committee  of  every  party  or  tour.  Several 
jBrears'  experience  has  shown  that  it  is  difficult  to 
'"secure  a  composition  from  every  member  of  a  party. 
The  best  results  have  come  when  two  boys  have  been 
appointed  to  do  this  work  and  then  encouraged  to  have 
it  finished  at  an  early  date.  A  copy  of  the  best  one 
should  be  sent  with  the  letter  of  thanks  to  the  person 
in  charge  of  the  place  visited.  This  ,will  reveal  in  a 
practical  way  what  the  Association  is  doing,  possibly 
attract  interest  and  prepare  the  way  for  a  later  visit  by 
another  party. 

Previous  to  the  trip  to  Old  Point  Comfort  in  April 
last  year  the  announcement  of  the  essay  competition 
with  its  rules  was  published.  It  produced  good  results. 
It  is  given  here. 

Essay  Competition 

The  boys  of  the  party  are  invited  to  participate  in  a 
friendly  competition  by  writing  a  descriptive  essay  of 
the  tour.  A  committee  of  three  has  been  appointed, 
who  will  examine  all  papers.  The  boy  writing  the  best 
will  be  presented  with  an  autographed  photograph  of 
President  Roosevelt,  neatly  framed,  with  the  letter 
accompanying  the  picture. 

The  terms  and  conditions  of  the  contest  are: 
(i)  Open  to  boys  between  the  ages  of  14  and  19  years 
of  age  inclusive.  (2)  Must  be  written  by  hand  in  black 
ink,  on  paper  8x11  inches,  leaving  a  margin  of  one  inch 
at  left.  Use  only  one  side  of  paper.  (3)  Not  less  than 
800  or  more  than  1200  words.  (4)  To  be  written  as  if  it 
is  to  be  published  in  a  magazine.    (5)  Spelling,  punctua- 

19 


EducAtional  Activities  for  Bo]rs 

tion  and  neatness  will  be  considered.  (6)  Include  state- 
ment of  each  place  \isited.  (7)  Draw  simple  outline 
map  of  the  route  and  mark  places  vnsited  (see  map  on 
announcement).  (8)  Each  essay  must  have  mark  or 
nom-de-plimie  on  same.  Also  in  a  sealed  envelope  your 
name  and  address,  with  your  mark  or  nom-de-plume  on 
the  outside.  (9)  Essay  must  be  in  hands  of  the  com- 
mittee not  later  than  May  i.  (10)  The  committee  re- 
serves the  right  not  to  award  the  picture  unless  the 
majority  of  the  boys  take  part  in  the  competition. 

Study  the  history  of  Virginia  and  Washington  so  as 
to  better  enjoy  the  tour  and  be  prepared  to  take  part  in 
the  competition.  Good  books  may  be  secured  from 
your  public  and  school  libraries.  The  following  may  be 
suggestive : 

Century  Book  for  Young  Americans,  Eldridge  Brooks. 

Among  the  Law  Makers,  Edmimd  Alton. 

Histor}'  of  Virginia,  R.  B.  Smithey. 

Virginia,  A  History  of  the  people,  John  E.  Cooke. 

Washington,  the  Capital  City,  Rufus  R.  Wilson. 

The  Standard  Guide  of  Washington,  Charles  B. 
Reynolds. 

Pictorial  Guide  to  Washington,  published  by  Rand, 
McNally  &  Co. 


90 


The  Demand  for  Vocational  Training 

Robert  T.  Hill.  Educ&tional  Depeirtinent  of  the 
International   Committee 

The  American  boy,  on  the  average,  spends  about  four 
years  in  school,  and  those  before  he  is  twelve  years  old. 
In  Massachusetts  eighty  per  cent  of  the  boys  fifteen 
years  of  age  have  dropped  out  of  school  entirely.  In 
spite  vof  the  magnificent  system  of  public  schools  in 
America  only  about  one-third  of  one  per  cent  of  all  the 
boys  and  young  men  between  fifteen  and  twenty-four 
years  of  age  receive  any  form  of  instruction  in  the 
sciences  and  arts  which  bear  directly  upon  their  occu- 
pations. More  than  fifty  per  cent  of  America's  skilled 
mechanics  are  bom  and  trained  in  foreign  countries. 

There  is  a  wide  difference  between  the  instruction 
given  in  our  public  schools  and  the  demands  that  are 
made  upon  a  boy  or  man  when  he  engages  in  active 
industry.  The  need  of  fitting  more  young  men  to  better 
meet  the  demands  of  commerce,  manufacture  and 
civilization's  progress  is  greater  than  ever.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  actual  work  of  fitting  and  training  men 
is  proceeding  relatively  much  more  slowly.  The  very 
definite  reasons  why  the  Association  should  meet  the 
above  needs  are  significant.  The  opportunity  for  ser- 
vice is  stupendous  along  educational  lines.  Practical 
instruction  in  the  elements  of  applied  science  which 
broaden  the  industrial  intelligence  are  increasingly  de- 
manded by: 

(i)  The  employed  boys  from  twelve  to  eighteen  years 
of  age.  (2)  Those  wishing  to  enter  a  trade.  (3)  The 
men  already  in  the  trades.  (4)  The  industries  them- 
selves. 

21 


Educational  Activities  for  Bojrs 

The  Association  in  this  great  work  must  meet  the 
demands  of  all  men,  employers  and  employees.  Com- 
petition and  the  board  of  directors  and  stockholders 
require  each  employer  to  look  at  everything  from  the 
standpoint  of  increased  and  better  output  with  cheaper 
production.  The  employer,  therefore,  will  judge  the 
Association  by  what  it  does  for  his  men  and  by  that 
which  helps  to  solve  the  problems  in  his  particular 
business.  The  workingmen  think  that  they  are  not 
having  a  fair  chance  in  life.  They  are  seeking  to  im- 
prove their  conditions  of  living.  They  will  judge  the 
Association  by  what  it  can  do  to  mnlro  them  capable 
of  earning  more  money. 

It  is  important  that  a  man  be  so  helped  and  trained 
that  he  can  rise  from  one  employment  to  another  in 
which  greater  ability  is  demanded.  It  is  equally  im- 
portant for  him  to  increase  his  proficiency  in  the  occupa- 
tion in  which  he  is  already  employed.  So  far  attention 
has  chiefly  been  paid  to  offering  technical  education  of  a 
scholastic  or  professional  nature  for  the  few.  The 
present  demand  is  for  vocational  training,  that  broader, 
more  practical  training,  to  make  the  many  more  in- 
telligently skilful  in  their  own  particular  line  of  work; 
for  a  closer  co-ordination  of  educational  work  with 
industry,  in  the  interests  of  both  the  men  and  the  in- 
dustr>'.  The  output  is  sure  to  increase  in  consequence, 
both  in  quality  and  quantity.  Higher  wages  and  alao 
larger  dividends  will  be  the  result.  The  Association 
must  keep  abreast  of  the  times  in  the  demand  for  more 
industrial  training. 

The  agitation  for  more  definite  industrial  instruction 
in  public  schools  has  finally  resulted  in  the  recent  organ- 
ization in  New  York  City  of  the  "National  Society  for 
the  Promotion  of  Industrial  Education"  and  the  re- 

22 


The  Demand  for  Vocational  Training 

markable  sessions  in  Boston  of  the  Social  and  Industrial 
Congress.  Apparently  this  is  thought  to  be  a  new  idea 
in  some  quarters.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  however,  the 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association  is  a  pioneer  in  indus- 
trial education,  and  today  is  a  leader.  Now,  in  order 
to  be  of  largest  service  to  men,  it  remains  for  the  Associa- 
tion to  hold  the  position  it  already  occupies,  and  from 
this  vantage  ground  to  advance  further  into  the  indus- 
trial field.  "Study  the  field"  is  the  watchword  for 
success.  A  leaflet  has  already  been  issued  showing 
from  Association  experience  how  an  <3ducational  direc- 
tor or  general  secretary  may  investigate  the  local  con- 
ditions of  his  community.  It  would  certainly  be  putting 
the  cart  before  the  horse  to  arrange  an  educational  pro- 
gram of  classes,  clubs  and  talks  without  a  careful  survey 
of  the  situation. 

This  problem  of  industrial  education  is  not  one  of  the 
continuation  school  alone,  but  of  the  public  school  sys- 
tem as  well.  There  are  plenty  of  splendid  technical 
and  engineering  schools  for  the  men  already  toward  the 
top  of  the  ladder.  What  we  need  is  elementary  instruc- 
tion for  the  training  of  a  broader  intelligence  among  the 
workingmen  and  boys  already  engaged  in  the  industrial 
processes. 

The  rapid  development  of  machine  industry  has  put 
a  premium  upon  automatonism  rather  than  upon  indi- 
vidualistic work.  All-round  ability  is  disappearing. 
To  contend  against  this  trend,  questionable  in  nature, 
we  must  add  to  the  knowledge  and  ability  of  machine 
tenders  that  training  which  will  develop  more  vision, 
greater  imagination,  hence  wider  usefulness.  We  want 
to  help  men  to  become  better  producers  and  better  wage- 
earners  in  such  a  manner  that  a  higher  and  nobler 
standard  of  life  will  follow. 

23 


Practical  Talks— Their  Operation  and  the 
Secret  of  their  Success. 

C.  M.  D».ggett.  State  Boys'  Secret&xy.  Maine 

A  careful  definition  of  terms  employed  should  precede 
a  discussion  upon  any  given  subject.  A  common  meet- 
ing ground  is  thus  provided,  and  a  basis  for  treatment 
established.  Hence,  in  the  present  instance,  we  must 
be  absolutely  sure  just  what  Practical  Talks  are  before 
we  attempt  to  discuss  their  operation  or  the  secret  of 
their  success. 

In  a  questionnaire — that  time-worn  but  useful  means 
of  gathering  information — recently  sent  to  a  number  of 
boys'  work  directors,  this  question  was  asked:  "What 
is  a  Practical  Talk?"  The  answers  received  were  all 
interesting.  Some  were  amusing.  No  two  were  ex- 
actly alike,  and  a  variety  of  opinion  was  expressed.  One 
man  thought  that  a  Practical  Talk  was  "An  informal 
lecture"  on  any  subject — evidently;  another  said  that 
they  *  'could  not  be  classified  as  religious  or  educational." 
One  would  call  every  "inspirational  talk,  practical;" 
another  would  niake  them  "object  lessons."  Some 
would  confine  them  to  ' '  scientific  and  professional  sub- 
jects" while  others  would  have  them  consist  only  of 
"Life  Problem  Disctissions."  Still  others  would  have 
every  so  called  "talk"  end  with  "an  appeal  for  deci- 
sions to  lead  the  Christian  Life."  Only  twelve  out  of 
the  forty  men  who  replied  seemed  able  to  state  clearly 
what  a  Practical  Talk  was.      The  remaining  twenty- 


* 


Practical  Talks — Their  Operation,  Etc. 


n^ 


eight  gave  the  impression  that  the  matter  was  not 
clear  in  their  minds,  although  they  all  said  that  they 
i»were  conducting  "Practical  Talks"  in  the  Boys'  De- 
partments of  which  they  were  in  charge.  How  it  is 
possible  for  one  to  successfully  conduct  a  thing  when 
he  does  not  know  what  that  thing  is,  is  beyond  com- 
prehension. However,  that  does  not  concern  us  here 
t  now.  Of  the  twelve  commendable  replies  received, 
the  following  three  seem  to  be  the  clearest: 

(i)  "A  Practical  Talk  is  an  interesting  address  of  edu- 
cational value."  ' 

(2)  "A  Practical  Talk  is  an  address  on  an  educational 
subject  presented  in  a  practical  manner." 

(3)  "A  Practical  Talk  is  an  address  designed  to  have 
a  practical  bearing  upon  the  physical,  spiritual,  intel- 
lectual, social,  business,  or  home  life  of  the  boy." 

In  our  judgment,  all  three  of  these  definitions  are 
good  and  substantially  correct.  Each  states  in  different 
words  that  "A  Practical  Talk"  is  a  useful  talk.  And 
after  all,  does  not  "practical"  mean  "useful?" 

So  much  for  the  definition  of  the  subject. 

Assuming  that  our  definition  is  the  correct  one,  we 
may  now  ask,  "How  shall  these  'Talks*  be  conducted 
or  operated?"  This  question  also  appeared  in  our  ques- 
tionn  aire .     Here  are  quotations  from  some  of  the  answers : 

"In  connection  with  group  clubs — not  big  crowds." 

"  Under  auspices  of  some  club,  other  boys  invited  in." 

"Not  over  twenty  boys  invited  in." 

"On  Saturday  nights  for  older  boys,  alternating  with 
socials,  entertainments,  etc." 

"-Once  a  month," 

"In  combination  with  musical,  gymnastic,  or  other 
entertaining  features." 

"As  a  separate  feature." 

25 


Educational  Activities  for  Boys 

**After  Bible  classes." 

"Before  g>'mnasium  classes." 

*'  On  a  special  night." 

*'  Dignified — as  any  other  lecture." 

"As  informal  as  possible." 

"  Educational  committee  in  charge." 

"Managed  by  boys." 

"Questions  asked  after  address." 

"One-half  hour  talk  with  questions  following." 

"In  series,  for  boys  of  an  age,  occupation,  and  inclina- 
tion." 

There  is  a  difference  of  opinion  expressed  in  these 
answers,  but  a  number  of  valuable  points  are  brought 
out  nevertheless. 

(i)  The  "Talks"  should  be  "managed  by  the  boys" 
with  the  "Educational  Committee,"  of  course,  "in 
charge."  Here  we  touch  one  of  the  basic  principles  of 
boys*  work.  Perhaps  the  disregard  of  this  principle  ex- 
plains why  so  many  boys*  work  directors  fail  in  the  effort 
to  conduct  Practical  Talks  successfully.  Is  it  possible 
that  some  of  us  have  yet  to  learn  the  difference  between 
•  'Work  for  boys"  and  "Boys*  Work > 

(2)  The  majority  of  the  men  think  that  the  "Talks'* 
should  be  held  "in  connection  with  group  clubs — not 
big  crowds"  and  that  age,  inclination,  and  occupation 
ought  to  be  considered.  Instead  of  herding  together 
high  school  boys,  grammar  school  boys  and  office  boys 
for  a  talk  by  some  man  on  the  subject  "Why  I  am  a 
lawyer,"  in  which  only  a  small  proportion  of  the  boys 
would  be  vitally  interested,  they  should  be  divided  into 
three  or  more  groups  and  listen  to  as  many  talks  suited 
to  the  needs  and  capacities  of  each  group. 

(3)  The  "Talks**  should  be  conducted  "in  series." 
arranged  so  that  one  leads  to  another,  and  so  on  to  a 

36 


Practical  Talks— Their  Operation,  Etc. 

climax.  The  hit-or-miss  practice  of  having  a  Practical 
Talk  whenever  the  right  man  comes  along,  or  whenever 
nothing  else  suggests  itself  to  do,  is  a  poor,  short-sighted 
policy  and  accomplishes  nothing.  If  a  "Talk"  is  held 
simply  for  the  sake  of  having  something  going  on,  and 
if  it  is  not  planned  to  definitely  afifect  the  lives  of  the 
boys  who  hear  it,  it  had  better  not  be  given. 

The  secret  of  success  in  conducting  Practical  Talks 
has  been  discussed  somewhat  indirectly  in  the  preced- 
ing paragraphs.  But  to  quote  from  our  questionnaire 
again,  the  secret  of  success  is  in: 

"Having  interesting  subjects  discussed  by  men  of 
abiUty." 

"  Use  of  demonstration  and  illustration." 

"  Short,  snappy,  pointed  talks." 

"Making  talks  popular  as  well  as  instructive." 

"Having  well  planned  program." 

Some  of  the  causes  of  failure  stated  in  the  questionnaire 
were: 

"Getting  a  miscellaneous  crowd." 

"Poor  speakers." 

"Subjects  too  deep  or  uninteresting." 

"Lack  of  care  or  thought  in  selecting  topic  and 
speaker." 

"  Failure  to  get  co-operation  of  the  boys  in  the  plan." 

"Not  enough  demonstration  and  illustration." 

These  statements  of  the  causes  of  failure  are  valuable, 
but  only  inasmuch  as  they  represent  just  so  many  pit- 
falls to  be  avoided.  They  need  not  worry  us,  for  after 
all  there  is  one  secret  to  success.  It  may  be  stated  in  a 
single  sentence.  If  the  right  boys  are  gathered  together 
to  hear  the  right  subject  discussed  by  the  right  man, 
no  one  need  worry  about  the  success  of  any  Practical 
Talk. 

27 


Manual  Training  for  Association  Boys 

Philo  R.  Brooke.  Boys'  SecreUry,  Toledo.  Ohio 

The  success  of  any  venture  in  one  Association  is  not  a 
guarantee  of  its  success  in  another  unless  similar  condi- 
tions exist.  Particularly  is  this  true  of  manual  work  for 
boys.  By  way  of  illustration  permit  me  to  cite  instances 
in  two  cities  with  the  conditions  of  which  I  am  familiar — 
Springfield  and  Toledo,  Ohio.  Springfield  has  no  equip- 
ment for  manual  training,  either  in  the  grades  or  in  the 
high  school,  other  than  certain  elementary  instruction 
in  mechanical  and  free-hand  drawing.  A  boy  with  a 
procHvity  for  working  with  tools  must  either  supply 
himself  with  the  necessary  equipment  and  materials  or 
apprentice  himself  to  a  mechanical  trade.  Consequently, 
the  Springfield  Boys*  Department,  either  by  wisdom  or 
accident,  has  a  fairly  good  equipment  for  a  limited 
manual  training  work. 

Toledo,  on  the  other  hand,  has  one  large  central  high 
school  with  an  almost  ideal  manual  training  school  equip- 
ment and  offers  to  any  pupil,  boy  or  girl,  as  a  part  of  the 
curriculum,  instruction  in  mechanical  and  free-hand 
drawing,  clay  modeling,  wood  carving,  joinery,  forging, 
beaten  metal  work,  machine  work,  and  cooking  and 
plain  sewing  for  girls.  So  thorough  is  the  instruction 
that  the  boys  are  enabled  to  step  into  positions  requiring 
certain  mechanical  expert  knowledge  ^nd  manual  skill 
and  to  advance  rapidly  above  the  boys  who  have  not  had 
the  advantage  of  their  superior  education.    In  addition, 

a8 


Manual  Training  for  Association  Boys 

boys  in  the  seventh  and  eighth  grades  receive  elementary 
instruction  in  joinery  and  sloyd. 

No  great  wisdom  is  necessary  to  see  the  ditierence  pre- 
sented by  the  two  situations.  Neither  case  is  at  all 
unusual.  There  are  many  cities  with  as  few  of  these 
facilities  as  Springfield  and  many  with  facilities  as  good 
or  better  than  those  afforded  in  Toledo.  In  the  first  case 
there  is  almost  a  demand — at  least  an  opportunity  to 
supply  a  need  in  the  normal  boy  life  and  development; 
in  the  second  there  is  a  possibility  of  providing  an  oppor- 
tunity for  those  boys  who  have  been  ti^able  to  continue 
in  school,  or  to  establish  a  centre  among  boys  of  esthetic 
culture  and  craftsmanship. 

From  the  Industrial  Standpoint 

A  trade  school  is  an  essentially  different  proposition 
from  the  foregoing  idea.  With  the  increasing  demand 
for  skilled  workmen  and  the  failure  of  the  present  indus- 
trial system  to  develop  them  rapidly  enough,  there  pre- 
sents itself  to  the  Association  the  question,  "How  may 
we  make  our  contribution  to  the  solution  of  the  prob- 
lem?" 

The  recent  agitation  and  movement  for  manual  train- 
ing for  school  boys  has  its  tap  root  in  this  economic  need. 
It  is  indeed  "quite  the  proper  time  for  us  to  contribute 
what  we  can."  The  automobile  schools,  office  boys' 
schools,  courses  in  steam  engineering,  et  cetera,  as 
offered  by  the  educational  departments  of  many  asso- 
ciations have  shown  the  desire  to  read  the  signs  of  the 
times  and  to  come  forward  with  the  things  most  needed. 

Some  Common  Fallacies 

Because  occasionally  there  appears  on  the  side  streets 
a  boy  with  a  soap-box  cart  and  improvised  dog  harness, 

39 


Educational  Activities  for  Boyt 

or  a  hand-wrought  juvenile  edition  of  a  wooden  auto;  or 
because  the  neighbor's  boy  tampers  with  the  electrical 
appliances  and  has  the  house  strung  with  a  complicated 
mess  of  wires  and  batteries;  or  because  your  wife's 
cousin's  boy  ingeniously  furnished  his  den  in  the  attic 
with  regenerated  store  boxes,  you  conclude  that  all  boys 
are  mechanical  geniuses,  awaiting  an  opportimity  to 
express  themselves  in  some  material  form  of  ingenious 
creation.  Nothing  can  be  further  from  the  truth.  Not 
one  boy  in  ten,  without  some  external  influence,  is  really 
interested  in  manual  training  or  cares  to  make  things 
half  as  much  as  is  usually  supposed.  Experience  has 
demonstrated  the  truthfulness  of  this  assertion.  In 
schools  where  the  manual  work  is  elective,  were  it  not 
for  the  credits  for  graduation  allowed  on  manual  work 
the  boards  of  education  would  not  be  justified  in  con- 
tinuing the  manual  training  departments  for  the  number 
using  them.  Boys  view  manual  education  with  little 
more  enthusiasm  than  latin  and  algebra.  I  would  not 
for  a  moment  wish  to  appear  to  minimize  the  value  of 
manual  training.  I  have  always  been  an  ardent  sup- 
porter of  the  movement  and  shall  continue  to  be,  but  it 
is  desirable  to  clear  away  all  the  rubbish  before  attacking 
the  job.  It  develops  then  that  the  boys  who  will  be 
served  by  manual  training  facilities  in  the  Association 
will  be  in  one  of  these  three  classes:  the  boys  who  like  to 
do  the  thing  itself  and  find  personal  enjoyment  in  their 
own  recreation;  the  boys  who  wish  to  avail  themselves 
of  an  opportunity  to  learn  a  trade  or  to  increase  their 
wage  earning  power;  and  the  boys  who  come  because  they 
are  obliged  to  do  so  by  parental  authority.  The  latter 
two  are  practically  identical. 

Whatever  has  been  done  by  the  Atsodatton  has,  with 
but  few  exceptions,  drawn  from  the  first  clan  and  hat 

30 


I 


w 


Manual  Training  for  Association  Boys 


been  calculated  to  do  so.  The  classes  and  clubs  for 
electrical  construction  and  experiment,  clay  modeling, 
yrography,  wood  carving,  embossed  leather,  sloyd, 
setting  and  printing,  and  the  dozen  other  manual 
educational  subjects  that  have  been  undertaken  with 
more  or  less  success  in  many  Associations  have  been 
conducted  almost  entirely  from  the  standpoint  of 
esthetic  education  and  recreation  together  with  practical 
utility.  If  the  scope  of  work  can  be  broadened  by  adapt- 
ing it  to  the  industrial  education  or  trade  school  require- 
ments it  is  clearly  within  our  province  to  do  so  if  it  can 
be  done  without  violence  to  the  former  consideration. 

A  Practical  Experiment 

The  very  practical  value  of  manual  training  work 
planned  from  the  recreative  and  esthetic  standpoint  may 
be  illustrated  by  the  work  of  the  boys  of  the  Springfield, 
Ohio,  Boys'  Department  in  putting  to  practical  advantage 
the  few  months  of  training  they  had  previously  received, 
by  working  out  and  erecting  the  interior  finish  in  their 
club  rooms.  The  story  of  this  experience  briefly  is  as 
follows : 

In  the  late  fall  of  1902  a  workshop  for  carpentry  was 
fitted  up  in  the  attic  of  the  Association  building,  which 
could  only  be  reached  by  climbing  four  long  flights  of 
stairs  and  up  which  all  materials  had  to  be  carried.  Here 
work-benches  and  tool-cases  accommodating  classes  of 
twelve  were  installed  and  soon  the  two  classes  started 
were  full  to  the  capacity.  These  lads  were  instructed  in 
elementary  joinery  and  permitted  to  make  what  they 
most  desired  and  for  which  they  would  furnish  material. 
Sleds,  pressboards,  magazine  racks,  tables,  stands  and 
bootjacks  resulted.  Less  than  three  months  passed 
before  the  building  was  partly  destroyed  by  fire  and 

31 


Educational  Activities  for  Boyi 

work  in  the  shop  suspended.  Fortunately,  that  part  in 
which  the  shop  was  situated  was  saved.  Hardly  had  the 
insurance  been  adjusted  before  the  boys  were  in  the  shop 
busily  engaged  with  emery  and  sand  paper  cleaning 
away  the  stains  of  smoke  and  rust.  While  they  worked 
they  planned  and  discussed  how  they  could  help  repair 
their  loss.  As  a  result  of  this  planning,  when  the  specifi- 
cations for  the  new  structure  were  finally  approved,  four 
spacious  rooms  on  the  main  floor  were  to  be  left  unfin- 
ished. The  woodwork  was  to  be  supplied  by  the  boys. 
Rough  oak  was  at  once  secured  and  dressed  and  ripped 
into  the  required  stock  at  the  mill.  A  workshop  adjoining 
the  building  site  was  provided  and  the  boys  set  to  work 
cutting  and  smoothing  the  panels  and  casings  and  seats 
and  beams  for  their  new  home. 

From  some  old  pulleys  and  shafting  saved  from  the 
ruins  of  the  building  a  sanding  machine  was  improvised 
which  did  good  work  and  which  is  now  installed  in  the 
workshop  in  the  basement  of  the  new  building. 

By  the  time  the  contractor  was  done  and  gone  this 
material  was  ready  for  erection.  How  those  boys  did 
work!  The  end  was  in  sight  and  they  were  anxious  for 
the  goal.  In  due  time  everv'thing  was  done  and  the  rooms 
were  resplendent  in  their  cosy  high  wainscot,  massive 
ceiling  beams,  and  inviting  seats  built  in  all  the  possible 
corners,  all  stained  and  polished  by  the  enthusiastic 
youths.  But  best  of  all  was  the  great  fireplace  and 
chimney,  the  stone  for  which  the  boys  had  selected  and 
carted  from  among  the  moss-grown  and  weather-stained 
refuse  cap  rock  in  a  quarry  near  the  city  and  which 
they  transformed  into  a  thing  oL  beauty  and  good  cheer. 
Here  a  great  gas  log  fire  flickers  invitingly  on  many  a 
winter  evening  or  chilly  afternoon,  and  the  boys  gathered 
around  recall  the  experiences  of  the  summer's  camp  or 

3a 


f 


Manual  Training  for  Association  Boys 


rehearse  the  baseball  and  football  games  of  the  last 
season. 

When  finally  they  were  eady  for  the  opening,  after 
the  rooms  had  been  furnished  by  the  same  motheris  who 
a  year  and  a  half  before  had  equipped  the  workshop,  the 
proudest  boys  in  all  that  line  who  stood  ready  to  receive 
and  entertain  those  mothers  and  their  associates  were 
the  lads  who  had  worked  the  hardest  and  longest  to  make 
that  event  possible.  When  with  pardonable  pride  they 
heard  the  words  of  praise  and  commendation  and  ex- 
clamations of  admiration  from  their  parents  and  friends, 
they  felt  repaid  for  the  aching  muscles  and  perspiration 
of  those  weary  summer  days'  labor. 


33 


Problems  of  the  Working  Boys'  School 

Cla^rence  C.  Robiiuon.  Bojt'  Secretary,  SaJein,  N.  J. 

Not  long  ago  a  student  of  our  educational  work  put 
this  query  to  educational  directors  and  boys'  secretaries: 
"Should  all  employed  boys  who  join  the  Association  be 
expected  to  take  some  form  of  educational  work?"  By 
many  the  idea  was  considered  preposterous,  but  the 
question  is  really  one  of  great  moment.  Stated  some- 
what differently  the  question  is,  "If  we  draw  employed 
boys  to  the  Association  to  spend  their  evenings,  is  it 
right  to  absorb  their  time  and  attention  without  giving 
them  the  things  which  they  most  vitally  need?" 

Working  boys  should  have  educational,  religiotis  and 
physical  training,  and  especially  the  more  definite  educa- 
tion termed  schooling.  For  the  benefit  of  those  who 
plead  that  so  marked  an  emphasis  on  educational  features 
will  interfere  with  Bible  study,  or  g\'mnasium,  let  it 
be  said  that  the  opposite  results  have  been  obtained  by 
leading  boys,  otherwise  unreached,  into  those  very 
things.  At  least  one  Association  is  definitely  prepari 
to  try  the  experiment  next  season  of  requiring  employed 
boys  to  carry  some  educational  work.  The  recrea- 
tion rooms  will  be  closed  during  school  hours,  and  any 
member  who  comes  to  the  department  between  7.30  and 
9.00  o'clock,  must  either  be  in  the  school  or  in  an  edu- 
cational club. 

When  our  night  schools  for  boys  are  undertaken  in 
this  comprehensive  way,  they  will  become  just  as  good 
a  drawing  card  as  the  gymnasium.     They  will  give  the 


n 


Problems  of  the  Working  Boys'  School 

iation  a  constant  grip  for  moulding  the  boy.  This 
kind  of  work  appeals  strongly  to  parents,  to  employers, 
and  to  those  who  conduct  the  frequently  over-worked 
public  night  schools.  It  will  lend  dignity  and  perma- 
nence to  our  boys*  work  that  directors  and  supporters 
of  the  Association  can  view  with  satisfaction. 

So  much  for  the  department;  now  about  the  boys. 
When  it  is  realized  what  a  working  boy's  evening  means 
to  him  through  relaxation  and  recreation,  we  will  see 
that  it  is  idiocy  to  put  up  a  tame  class  in  arithmetic 
against  the  attractions  of  "The  King  of 'the  Wild  West" 
which  is  holding  forth  at  the  theatre  in  the  next  block 
or  around  the  comer.  Until  we  can  make  our  night 
schools  so  absorbing  that  to  miss  a  night  would  be  a 
misfortune  in  the  boy's  mind  comparative  to  the  loss 
of  missing  the  evening  at  the  cheap  theatre,  we  will  have 
to  satisfy  ourselves  with  small  attendance  and  meagre 
results.  What  must  be  done  first,  last  and  all  the  time, 
is  to  challenge  the  attention  of  the  boys,  even  though  it 
is  not  an  easy  task  by  any  means.  We  can  set  up  the 
most  elaborate  curriculum,  pay  high  salaries  to  teachers, 
have  the  finest  equipment,  and  fail.  Someone  must  put 
life  and  ginger  into  the  work.  Someone  must  study  as 
hard  to  hold  the  boys'  attention  as  the  managers  of 
the  shows  do. 

When  a  boy  rises  at  6  o'clock  on  a  winter  morning, 
walks  from  one  to  two  miles  to  his  place  of  employment, 
works  hard  all  day,  eats  a  cold  lunch,  goes  home  again, 
and  then  walks  another  mile  to  our  building  to  attend 
night  school,  and,  moreover,  keeps  this  up  three  nights 
a  week  from  October  to  April  and  does  not  miss  a  night, 
he  is  acting  on  some  stimulus  other  than  a  consuming 
desire  and  passion  for  geography  and  spelling.  The 
writer  has  known  many  boys  working  near  the  Associa- 

35 


Educational  Activities  for  Bo]rt 

tion,  who^  on  account  of  the  long  distance  from  home, 
would  come  to  the  night  school  and  then  go  home  for 
supper  at  9  o'clock.  When  we  protested,  they  said  that 
it  was  too  far  home  and  they  did  not  wish  to  miss  a 
night. 

Some  agency,  besides  the  public  schools,  must  grasp 
this  tremendous  proposition  of  determining  the  Hfe  direc- 
tion of  tens  of  thousands  of  boys  too  old  ever  to  be 
touched  by  child  labor  legislation,  and  yet  young  enough 
to  be  reached  for  a  higher  life  and  for  the  Christ  Ufc 
while  their  minds  are  yet  plastic.  They  must  have 
general  education  and  then  technical  industrial  instruc- 
tion perhaps  similar  to  that  of  the  continuation  schools 
of  Germany. 

To  develop  interest  strong  enough  to  hold  boys  to  the 
necessary  routine  and  fatigue  incident  to  study 
when  the  body  is  weary  is  problem  enough,  but  when 
the  school  itself  is  in  operation,  it  is  next  to  the  im- 
possible to  put  the  finger  on  the  particular  feature  or 
influence  that  created  and  sustains  it.  From  the  ex- 
perience on  which  much  of  this  article  is  based,  those 
in  charge,  the  teachers,  secretaries  and  educational 
directors  (there  having  been  two  boys'  secretaries  and 
two  educational  directors  during  the  time)  believe  that 
there  were  at  least  six  leading  factors  which  counted 
sufficiently  to  be  considered  in  yielding  success. 

(i)  Grouping  the  other  features  around  the  night 
school. 

The  time  a  working  boy  spends  at  the  building  is 
limited.  To  do  all  we  want  for  him,  his  attractions  must 
be  grouped  around  some  one  feature.  If  we  can  gain 
his  attention  for  the  serious  things  first,  our  gymnastic 
and  social  privileges  will  have  more  lasting  effect.  No 
matter  what  is  said  to  the  contrary,  there  are  hundreds 

36 


b 


Problems  of  the  Working  Boys*  School 


of  boys  in  families  absolutely  indifferent  to  religious  ap- 
peals, and  we  cannot  hope  to  enlist  large  numbers  of 
boys  every  season  from  Catholic,  Hebrew  and  indifferent 
homes  directly  into  religious  work.  It  is  only  after 
parents  and  boys  of  this  class  have  come  to  have  implicit 
confidence  in  the  Association  that  we  influence  them 
most,  religiously.  On  the  other  hand,  it  has  been  dem- 
onstrated in  various  places,  that  by  its  educational 
features  the  Association  can  attract  crude  factory  boys 
in  large  numbers  by  interesting  them  and  their  parents 
in  general  education;  it  can  enlist  them  in  Bible  study, 
and  see  them  come  out  boldly  for  Christ,  joining  the 
church  and  doing  definite  Christian  service. 

(2)  Organization  of  the  school  as  a  whole  instead  of  in 
separate  classes. 

This  entails,  of  course,  strong  centralized  control  and 
an  assembling  of  the  school  in  a  sort  of  chapel  exercise, 
which  would  include  singing,  scripture  reading,  prayer 
and  announcements  of  general  interest  in  the  depart- 
ment. Opportunity  is  afforded  for  brief  remarks  on 
current  topics  by  the  educational  director  or  some  other 
man  in  charge,  in  this  way  doing  much  to  correct  the 
false  ideas  of  men  and  things  picked  up  at  the  store  or 
factory  or  from  the  newspapers  during  the  day. 

(3)  Athletics,  tramps,  etc. 

These  are  arranged  in  co-operation  with  the  physical 
director.  It  is  well  to  provide  contests  and  games  among 
the  classes  and  clubs  and  occasionally  a  large  event  with 
the  public  school  boys  or  some  outside  organization  ac- 
cording to  the  custom  of  the  local  Association  in  such 
matters. 

(4)  The  Association  ideals  upheld. 

It  is  suicidal  to  let  the  school  get  away  from  the  As- 
sociation spirit  and  work.     The  school  should  have  its 

37 


EducAtionAl  Activities  for  Boys 

Bible  classes  (voluntary,  of  course),  its  clubs,  banquets 
and  its  representatives  at  camps  and  conferences.  Vari- 
ous committees  should  be  made  up  of  the  school's  boys 
for  visiting  the  sick  and  for  other  purposes.  The  ideal  of 
uplifting  the  boys  of  the  city  and  of  bringing  as  many 
as  possible  to  a  decision  for  Christ,  should  be  kept 
uppermost  in  the  minds  of  the  leading  boys  all  of  the 
time. 

(s)  Continuance  of  at  least  one-fourth  of  the  bovs 
from  year  to  year. 

Night  schools  seem  destined  to  be  shifting  in  their 
personnel,  but  courses  can  be  so  arranged  and  interest  so 
kept  up  through  the  summer  as  to  hold  a  valuable  rem- 
nant from  year  to  year.  This  is  equally  ser\'iceable  to 
the  men's  school,  when  the  boys  pass  on  into  the  men's 
department  or  when  special  courses  are  arranged  in  con- 
nection with  the  men's  classes. 

(6)  "A  man  with  a  mission,  not  with  a  job." 

When  boys'  educational  work  is  taken  up  in  this  way, 
someone  must  give  minute  attention  to  handling  the 
school.  There  must  be  personal  interviews  innumerable ; 
the  boys  must  be  guided  in  employment  matters,  in 
which  they  can  do  much  for  each  other.  There  is 
always  the  boy  with  trouble  at  home,  trouble  at  the  shop 
or  the  factory,  trouble  with  his  teachers,  subject  to  tar- 
diness and  absence,  etc.  All  these  things  must  be  dealt 
with  wisely  and  with  sympathy  bom  of  a  knowledge  of 
each  boy's  employment  and,  if  possible,  his  home  condi- 
tions. The  right  man  may  be  the  educational  director; 
he  may  be  the  boys'  secretary;  or  possibly  a  hired 
teacher,  able  to  assume  the  principalship  of  the  school. 
Whoever  he  is.  he  must  be  the  man  with  a  mission. 
His  opportunity  for  usefulness  will  be  unexoclk^d  in 
the  whole  range  of  Association  activity. 

38 


I 

■^K         Training  for  Office  Work 

HFiTd.  Shftw.  Asibt&nt  Cducationail  Director,  West  Side  Branch, 
■I  New  York  City 

"^  The  problem  of  training  the  office  boy  has  been  a  per- 
plexing one  to  business  men.  The  instruction  received 
by  boys  in  the  public  schools  does  not  seem  to  give  them 
the  power  of  application.  When  they  enter  upon  office 
work,  they  must  be  trained  from  the  very  beginning, 
and  the  duty  of  training  the  boys  has  devolved  upon  and 
has  been  a  severe  tax  on  the  office  manager.  After  many 
suggestions  had  been  received  from  employers  and  a 
careful  study  of  the  problem  had  been  made,  the  West 
Side  Branch  opened  a  course  designed  to  train  boys  and 
young  men  in  office  work.  The  outline  of  the  course 
was  based  upon  the  requirements  in  large  offices,  ques- 
tions put  to  candidates  for  positions,  examinations 
where  such  were  needed,  and  all  other  similar  matter 
which  was  obtainable. 

The  work  is  divided  into  two  parts:  one  a  course  in 
business  arithmetic,  spelling,  letter-writing,  business 
English  and  commercial  geography,  special  emphasis 
being  placed  on  the  geographical  situation  of  New  York 
with  its  main  commercial  centers  and  its  transportation 
lines.  Practical  work  constitutes  the  other  part.  It 
consists  of  lectures  and  talks,  and  office  work.  The 
lectures  deal  with  the  boys'  personal  appearance,  clean- 
liness and  general  demeanor.  The  office  work  involves 
the  use  of  office  equipment,  much  of  which  was  loaned 
by  different  firms,  and  includes  the  use  of  the  telephone, 

39 


Educational  Activitiefl  for  Boys 

switch-board,  various  copying  de\'ices,  indexing  and  fil- 
ing systems,  and  other  office  appliances. 

In  addition  to  instructing  boys  and  young  men  in  the 
elementary  studies  given  in  the  first  part  of  the  course, 
the  object  is  to  train  the  present  or  prospective  office 
man  in  routine  office  work,  whether  expensive  and  up- 
to-date  appliances  are  used,  or  those  of  an  older  and 
less  elaborate  type,  so  that  the  boy  can  find  his  place 
immediately  and  pursue  his  work  from  the  very  start, 


OPPICB  TRAINING,  WEST  8IDB  BRANCH 

without  requiring  any  great  amount  of  the  manager's  W 
time  to  settle  him  in  the  traces.  From  time  to  time 
business  men  stimulate  the  boys  by  talking  to  them  on 
matters  of  everyday  interest.  These  talks  help  to  keep 
the  boys  alert,  and  foster  a  spirit  of  progressiveness. 
Every  boy  is  urged  to  spend  at  least  two  nights  a  week 
in  the  g>'mnasi\mi  because  his  effidencv  will  be  increased 
by  a  good  physical  condition. 

The  opening  of  the  course  produced  considerable  news- 


Office  Work  Training 

paper  notoriety,  and  the  press  all  over  the  country 
made  all  sorts  of  comments.  Everybody  was  interested. 
"If  the  traditional  office  boy  can  be  trained  and  made 
into  a  useful  adjunct  of  business,"  said  the  editors, 
"the  idea  is  a  good  one,  and  if  the  course  is  successful, 
the  office  managers  will  have  a  large  burden  removed 
from  their  shoulders." 

The  Association  immediately  began  to  receive  calls 
for  office  boys  until  the  employment  secretary  was  ready 
to  throw  up  his  hands  in  despair.  Three  times  the  num- 
ber of  boys  enrolled  in  the  course  could  have  been  placed 
in  positions,  so  large  was  the  demand.  One  of  the  diffi- 
culties which  arose,  however,  was  that  many  employers 
did  not  seem  to  see  that  the  trained  office  boy  is  worth 
more  than  one  without  training ;  this  in  spite  of  the  fact 
that  many  of  those  in  the  class  who  were  already  in 
business  were  able  to  better  themselves  and  others  who 
came  in  as  green  recruits  were  placed  in  good  positions. 
Forty  boys  were  enrolled  in  the  classes  the  first  year  and 
many  of  them  returned  for  the  second  year's  work. 

There  is  no  question  that  this  work  has  been  and  is 
of  a  beneficial  character,  and  it  can  be  developed  further 
so  as  to  render  a  real  service  to  the  commercial  public 
in  the  training  of  reliable,  efficient  and  promotable  young 
men.  But  there  must  be  co-operation  on  the  part  of 
employers  which  is  not  always  easy  to  secure  as  too 
many  of  them  only  seem  to  look  at  the  office  boy  in  one 
way.  However,  the  outlook  is  hopeful  and  in  the  course 
of  time  the  efficiency  of  the  office  assistants*  course  can 
be  increased  so  that  trained  office  boys  will  be  recognized 
by  the  employers  more  than  they  are  today,  and  the  lat- 
ter will  use  their  influence  to  persuade  boys  in  their  em- 
ploy to  carry  special  work  so  that  they  will  be  better 
fitted  for  promotion.  .^ 

41 


Physical  Education. 

George  J.  Fisher,  M.D.,  Secretcuy  Physical  Department. 
IntemationaJ  Committee 

Physical  training  is  not  so  much  muscle  making  as 
muscle  training.  It  is  not  only  health  producing,  but 
habit  forming;  not  only  tissue  building,  but  also  brain 
organizing. 

Dr.  Hartwell  has  said,  "the  main  field  of  education 
is  the  nervous  system,  and  the  principles  of  all  forms 
of  education  into  which  physical  training  enters  as  a 
factor  are  based  upon  the  power  of  the  nervous  system 
to  receive  impressions,  and  register  them  or  their  effects; 
in  other  words,  upon  its  ability  to  memorize  the  part 
it  has  played  in  acquired  movements,  and  on  occasion 
to  revive  and  repeat  such  movements." 

There  are  three  fundamental  educational  prop>ositions 
with  reference  to  physical  training  which  I  desire  to 
submit  in  this  short  article. 

First.     Mind  and  Movement  grow  together.    The  one 
operates  upon  the  other.      Without  movement  there  is    m 
no  mind.      Movement  is  an  index  of  mentality'.     Tests    I 
of  muscle  precision  are  used  as  a  means  of  determining   ■ 
mental  ability.      The  scale  of  intelligence  in  animals! I 
rises  in  direct  relation  to  the  number  of  possible  muscle  |  f 
co-ordinations.      When  a  new  movement  is  made,  **it 
stimulates  the  motor  brain  cells  to  throw  out  processes; 
these  processes  relate  the  cells  to  their  neighbors,  the 
larger  the  variety  of  movements,  the  greater  the  inter- 

42 


Physical  Education 

relation  of  brain  cells.  This  provides  a  wider  range  of 
activity.  Each  new  act  adds  a  new  piece  of  furniture 
to  the  mental  household."  Thus  motor  training  places 
at  the  disposal  of  the  individual  a  wider  range  of  mental 
activity.  This  motor  training  also  stores  away  energy 
which  can  be  drawn  upon  when  needed,  and  makes  for 
intellectual  endurance.  Other  things  being  equal,  the 
individual  who  has  had  motor  training  will  last  longer 
in  the  conflict  where  intellectual  endurance  is  required. 

Second.  Some  muscles  have  a  higher  educational  value 
than  others.  The  larger  muscle  groups  belong  in  what 
might  be  termed  the  lower  brain  levels;  to  this  class 
belong  the  muscles  of  the  back,  abdomen  and  thighs. 
The  smaller  muscle  groups  belong  to  the  higher  brain 
levels  and  make  more  demands  upon  the  will,  the  atten- 
tion and  the  judgment.  To  this  class  belong  the  move- 
ments of  the  fingers,  the  elbow  joint  and  the  more 
skilled  movements.  The  effect  of  exercising  the  larger 
muscles  is  more  hygienic,  of  the  smaller  more  educa- 
tional. 

Third.  The  development  of  the  nervous  system  in  re- 
lation to  the  muscles  is  from  fundamental  to  accessory. 
Thus  some  muscles  ripen  in  their  nerve  adjustments 
before  others  and  consequently  must  be  developed  first. 
Injudicious  training  may  reverse  this  law  with  grave 
results  to  the  nervous  system.  For  illustration,  it  is 
not  wise  to  have  a  child  attempt  to  play  the  piano  at 
too  early  an  age,  because  piano  playing  requires  the  use 
of  the  finer  muscle  adjustments  which  ripen  later.  To 
do  this  would  cause  nervousness,  irritability,  and  if 
pushed  too  far,  hysteria.  If  we  study  the  play  life  of 
children,  we  notice  that  they  play  certain  kinds  of  games 
at  certain  periods  in  their  development.  Simple  games 
at  first  involving  simple  movements  of  the  large  muscles, 

43 


Educational  Activities  for  Bo3r8 

and  later  more  complex  games  invohing  finer  muscle 
movements  and  greater  precision  of  movement.  The 
kind  of  games  a  child  plays  may  be  an  index  to  its  de- 
gree of  mentality,  and  conversely  games  adxnsedly  plan- 
ned may  prove  stimulating  to  mentality  and  self-control. 
Scientific  physical  training  is  based  upon  these  fund- 
amental principles,  and  thus  proves  a  great  and  essential 
factor  in  the  intellectual  development  of  the  individual. 


The  advantages  of  a  large  social  room  for  boys  is  well 
demonstrated  in  the  boys'  building  at  Duluth,  Minn.  The 
building  occupied  by  the  boys  was  originally  built  and 
used  by  the  German  Turners,  but  has  been  leased  for  a 
term  of  years  by  the  Association.  The  chief  room  on 
the  second  floor  is  the  auditorium,  and  beneath  this  are 
the  g>^mnasium,  baths,  locker  rooms  and  bowling  alleys. 
There  is  a  large  stage  at  one  end  of  the  auditorium,  and  a 
galler>'  at  the  other  end.  This  galler>^  has  been  enclosed 
with  a  glass  and  wood  partition,  and  the  space  is  used 
for  manual  training.  A  large  room  under  the  stage  is 
used  for  general  social  purposes,  while  various  ante-rooms 
are  used  for  committee  and  club  purposes.  The  Asso- 
ciation thought  it  wise  to  experiment  with  the  large 
social  room  before  going  to  the  expense  of  dividing  it  up 
into  the  regulation  reading  room,  game  room,  parlor,  etc. 
The  floor  space  of  the  auditorium  is  about  35x50  or 
40x60 ;  one  comer  has  been  separated  by  a  coimter  from 
the  rest  of  the  room  and  is  used  as  an  office.  The  reading 
tables  and  the  game  boards  are  placed  about  the  room 
in  a  carefully  arranged  disorder,  and  this,  with  the 
decorations,  helps  to  give  the  room  a  cosy  appearance. 
There  has  been  something  really  funny  about  the  tenacity 
with  which  Associations  have  clung  to  the  idea  that 


Boys'  Social  Room 

"boys  wanted  a  quiet  room  in  which  to  read."  As  a 
matter  of  fact,  if  there  is  one  thing  above  all  others  which 
the  boy  does  not  seem  to  want  it  is  a  quiet  room.  Secre- 
taries have  found  that  boys  would  go  into  the  quiet 
reading  room,  pick  up  a  magazine  or  book,  and  go  out 
into  the  noisy  game  room,  sitting  down  where  there  was 
something  going  on  to  read  it.  When  a  boy  is  interested 
in  a  book,  any  amount  of  legitimate  noise  will  not  disturb 
him  a  particle. 

One  of  the  wisest  and  most  successful  men  in  North 
America  in  handling  boys  calls  attention,  to  the  difference 
between  noise  and  disorder,  and  shows  how  legitimate 
noise  in  a  social  room  of  this  kind  is  better  order  than 
absolute  quietness.  He  likens  the  noise  of  his  game  room 
to  the  steady  hum  of  machinery,  and  says,  with  a  twinkle 
in  his  eye,  that  the  regular  rhythm  of  the  various  sounds 
does  not  disturb  him,  but  the  minute  the  machinery 
begins  to  speed  up  or  slow  down  he  is  immediately  on 
the  alert,  for  something  is  likely  to  happen. 

The  Duluth  experiment  has  been  satisfactory,  and  if 
they  were  to  erect  a  new  building  for  their  boys,  they 
would  certainly  have  one  large  social  room  in  which  the 
reading  matter  and  games  should  be  placed. 

This  is  in  accord  with  the  idea  of  the  large  reception 
lobby  for  men  which  is  so  marked  a  feature  in  the  newer 
Association  buildings.  It  should  not  be  forgotten,  how- 
ever, that  in  addition  to  the  large  social  room,  a  number 
of  small  class,  club  and  committee  rooms  should  be  pro- 
vided. A  few  years  ago,  very  few  Boys'  Departments 
had  more  than  two  or  three  boys'  Bible  classes,  but 
to-day  it  is  not  uncommon  to  find  ten  or  fifteen  such 
classes,  and  in  some  cases,  already,  certain  Boys'  De- 
partments have  upwards  of  twenty  Bible  classes,  and  it 
is  found  convenient  for  a  number  of  these  classes  to  meet 

45 


Educational  Activities  for  Boyt 

simultaneously  on  the  same  afternoon  or  evening.  The 
growth  of  the  small  club  in  the  Boys*  Department  also 
calls  for  the  simultaneous  use  of  several  small  rooms. 


When  it  was  discovered  at  Bar  Harbor,  Maine,  a  year 
or  more  ago  that  there  were  older  boys  in  the  Associa- 
tion who  were  not  interested  in  any  form  of  educational, 


NAPHTHA  LAUNCH  BUILT  BY  BAR  HARBOR  BOYS 


physical  or  other  kind  of  work  then  carried  on,  a  manual 
training  class  was  organized  under  the  super\'ision  and 
direction  of  a  local  school  master  who  was  also  a  skilled 
mechanic.     The  basement  was  pressed  into  service  for 


w 

■Fthe  accoT 


Manual  Training 


the  accommodation  of  the  shop  and  each  fellow  who 
joined  the  class  was  obliged  to  supply  himself  with  tools. 

The  first  work  done  was  the  building  of  the  work-bench 
which  each  fellow  was  required  to  make  for  himself. 
Each  boy  became  intensely  interested  in  this  first  bit  of 
work  and  there  was  considerable  rivalry  and  personal 
pride  in  this  first  effort  and  in  the  erection  of  the  bench 
upon  which  each  would  later  have  to  work.  After  the 
work-benches  were  completed  the  real  work  of  the  class 
began  and  enthusiasm  held  the  boys  from  the  start. 
They  began  by  building  comer  seats  in  some  of  the 
Association  rooms,  by  mending  chairs  and  doing  other 
general  repair  work.  Then  they  took  up  more  difficult 
work  as,  for  instance,  the  building  of  a  front,  enclosed 
porch  with  a  glass  door  in  the  center.  Several  local 
mechanics  inspected  the  work  and  admitted  that  it  was 
a  creditable  performance.  This  porch  was  so  constructed 
that  it  could  be  taken  down  easily  in  the  spring,  laid 
away  in  sections,  and  replaced  in  the  fall.  With  careful 
handling  it  ought  to  serve  its  purpose  for  several  years 
to  come. 

The  boys  then  began  to  build  double  runner  sleds, 
small  closets  for  use  in  their  homes  and  other  useful 
articles  which  were  ordered  of  them  by  friends.  Later, 
they  attempted  boat  building  and  three  small  boats 
were  constructed.  The  one  which  sailed  imder  the 
Association  pennant  last  summer  carried  as  many  as 
eighteen  passengers.  The  physical  director  acted  as 
skipper  and  Association  members  used  it  many  times 
during  the  summer  for  outings.  This  launch  was 
equipped  with  a  five-horse  power  engine  and  traveled 
eight  miles  an  hour. 

The  total  cost  to  the  Association  was  very  small  and 
more  than  offset  by  the  work  done  in  repairing  and  so 

47 


Educational  Activities  for  Boyi 

on  throughout  the  building.  Over  a  car  load  of  lumber 
was  used  by  the  boys.  This  was  paid  for  by  each  of 
those  in  the  class  as  it  was  used  for  making  all  articles  for 
private  use.  The  boys  manifested  a  good  interest  in  the 
class,  which  they  maintained.  Even  after  the  season 
was  over  the  shop*  was  more  or  less  used  by  the  boys. 

Separate  classes  for  employed  boys  are  conducted  in 
the  Cincinnati  Association.  Those  working  in  offices  and 
who  wish  to  enter  offices  are  in  charge  of  one  instructor 
and  are  taught  arithmetic,  penmanship,  principles  of 
bookkeeping,  filing,  copying  letters,  indexing,  office 
etiquette,  etc.  In  the  other  division  the  common  school 
branches  are  taught.  The  teacher  in  the  latter  class 
has  been  very  successful  in  holding  the  interest  of  the 
boys.  His  plan  of  teaching  history  and  geography  is 
somewhat  original.  A  state,  for  instance,  is  taken  up. 
Its  location  is  discussed.  Perhaps  an  outline  or  map  is 
sketched  on  the  board.  The  principal  cities  are  located, 
the  points  of  historic  interest  noted,  the  date  of  settle- 
ment and  so  on.  Men  of  historic  note  from  the  State  are 
also  mentioned.  Grammar  is  taught  chiefly  through 
composition  work.  Another  feature  to  which  is  attrib- 
uted much  of  his  success  with  the  boys  is  the  grading  of 
the  class.  He  speaks  of  them  as  of  Class  A  and  Class 
This  division  is  made  according  to  their  previous  school 
mg.  This  gives  the  bright  boy,  whose  early  educati 
has  been  limited,  an  opportunity  to  make  as  good 
standing  as  the  boy  who  has  spent  two  or  three  years  in 
school.  Reports  are  made  out  at  intervals  showing 
their  grading,  based  upon  effort,  deportment  and  class 
work.  A  series  of  practical  talks  on  live  subjects  follow- 
ing their  evening's  work  in  the  "g>'m"  is  proving  ver>' 
popular  and  secures  regular  attendance.     The  first  four 


of 

H 


The  Harlem  Boys'  Department  Orchestra 

of  a  series  of  six  talks  averaged  above  eighty  boys  in 
attendance. 

The  Harlem  Boys*  Department  Orchestra  has  been  in 
existence  three  years,  meeting  regularly  for  rehearsals. 
It  has  a  membership  of  twenty-two.  During  the  past 
two  years  it  has  had  a  number  of  engagements  at  church 


HARLEM    BOYS      ORCHESTRA 

concerts  and  other  like  occasions.  The  money  received 
for  outside  engagements  about  covers  the  expense  of  in- 
struction. The  members  also  assist  the  Association 
work  materially  by  providing  music  for  the  Sunday 
Club. 

The  Savings  Bank  in  the  Boys*  Department  of  Provi- 
dence is  interesting  more  and  more  of  the  boys.  They 
can  deposit  any  amount  from  a  penny  upward,  though 
the  upper  limit  is  not  high.     The  Association  holds  the 

49 


Educational  Actiyities  for  Boyi 

money  in  trust  and  deposits  it  in  a  local  savings  bank 
to  the  credit  of  the  depositors  when  the  required  amount 
is  reached.  The  card  system  is  used  in  entering  depos- 
itors. A  boy  must  give  a  week's  notice  before  he  can 
draw  on  his  deposit.  During  this  time  he  has  a  chance 
to  change  his  mind  so  there  is  less  opportunity  of  his 
spending  money  foolishly  as  in  many  cases  he  will  con- 
sult with  the  Boys'  Secretary  before  drawing.  Many  of 
the  boys  have  been  consistently  depositing  their  extra 
coins  during  the  winter,  with  the  special  object  of  provid- 
ing for  camp  expenses  this  summer.  One  enterprising 
"chap"  marched  in  one  day  and  deposited  $5,  annoimcing 
that  he  had  made  it  by  clearing  the  snow  from  the  side- 
walks. No  one  account  is  high,  but  each  one  indicates 
the  desire  on  the  part  of  the  depositors  to  observe  more 
thrift,  to  cut  down  unnecessary  expenditure  for  things 
of  fleeting  pleasure  and  fancy,  and  to  save  for  the  prover- 
bial "rainy  day,"  though  it  may  be  the  Fourth  of  July 
or  circus  day. 

Let  people  know  more  about  what  our  boys  are  doing. 
I  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that  we  do  not  tell  enough 
about  our  boys'  work.  The  public  these  days  are  apt 
to  discoimt  statements  and  claims.  I  often  think  it 
divides  them  by  two  or  four.  Let  us  at  least  tell  all  we 
are  doing  in  detail.  Use  plenty  of  good  cuts.  I  believe 
we  could,  arouse  a  much  greater  interest  in  our  work 
on  the  part  of  business  men  if  we  told  them  more. 
Pictures  will  help  not  only  to  interest  the  boys  but  their 
employers  as  well. — W.  B.  Ferris. 

An  Easter  social  was  held  last  year  in  the  St.  Louis 
Boys'  Department.  Any  members  under  fifteen  years 
of  age  were  admitted  by  the  doorkeeper  upon  the  payment 

50 




rd  boiled  eggs  with  his  name  written  on  each. 
Other  boys  and  parents  were  cordially  invited  to  come 
at  the  rate  of  ten  cents  each.  This  carnival  took  place 
at  ten  o'clock  Saturday  morning  and  the  events  were  as 
follows : 

1.  Crowing  contest. 

2.  Rooster  fight — bantam  and  shanghai. 

II  3.  Egg  tug 
B  4.  Egg  turnover  race. 
I  5.  Egg  race. 
I  6.  Set  the  hen. 
I  7.  Chew  the  string. 
I  8.  Chase  the  feather. 
9-  ^S^  passing  contest. 
10.  Relay  race. 

Dr.  H.  S.  Wingert,  Physical  Director,  was  in  charge 
of  the  performance.  If  the  reader  desires  more  informa- 
tion he  will  know  where  to  get  it. 

Libraries  for  Boys'  Departments.  Hardly  a  Boys* 
Department  has  not  in  the  past  or  at  the  present  time 
does  not  face  the  problem  of  keeping  an  up-to-date 
library  in  the  department  on  the  small  budget  which  is 
provided  for  books.  An  experiment  has  proved  very 
successful  at  the  Harlem  Branch,  New  York  City.  The 
secretary  of  the  Boys'  Department  called  on  the  librarian 
of  the  public  library  at  190  Amsterdam  Avenue  and 
found  that  the  library  officials  were  quite  willing  to 
establish  a  branch  library  in  the  Association,  allowing 
to  them  the  selection  of  the  books.  They  agreed  to  pay 
all  the  exf)enses  of  transportation,  etc.,  and  only  asked 
in  return,  a  monthly  statement  of  the  number  of  books 
used,  the  Association  being  held  responsible  for  damage 
and  loss.     Thus  the  Association  has  been  able  to  provide 

SI 


Educational  Activities  for  Boyt 

the  best  books  for  their  members  at  no  cost  to  the  Branch. 
The  result  is  a  library  of  400  well  selected  boys*  books 
with  a  supply  of  up-to-date  books  whenever  the  Asso- 
ciation wishes  them.  A  library  for  parents  in  which  are 
books  dealing  with  the  adolescent  boy  has  also  been 
established  in  the  same  way. 

Following  closely  the  question  of  providing  good 
books  for  the  boy  is  the  problem  of  directing,  as  well  as 
cultivating,  his  taste  for  good  reading.  A  record  system 
has  been  worked  out  in  which  every  book  that  is  read  by 
the  boys  is  noted  and  at  the  end  of  the  month,  if  the 
record  shows  that  Harry  Smith  has  read  Alger's  books 
entirely,  or  that  he  reads  nothing  but  history,  the  ques- 
tion of  his  reading  is  taken  up  with  him  and  his  likes 
and  dislikes  in  regard  to  books  are  discussed  in  a  free 
and  friendly  way,  and  an  honest  effort  is  made  to  broaden 
the  scope  of  his  reading. 

"If  we  secretaries,"  says  Secretary  Ritchie,  '*stop  and 
ask  ourselves  how  much  we  know  about  what  our  mem- 
bers read,  I  am  afraid  the  majority  of  us  would  have  to 
confess  that  we  know  very  little  and  yet  we  all  recognise 
the  fact  that  the  reading  of  one  book  has  often  influenced 
a  young  man's  life.  I  believe  that  the  library  of  the 
Boys'  Department  offers  a  field,  full  of  possibility,  that  h 
been  practically  unexplored." 


RETURN     CIRCULATION  DEPARTMENT 

TO— »      202  Mom  Library 


LOAN  PERIOD 
HOME  USE 


AU  BOOKS  MAY  BE  RECALLED  AFTER  7  DAYS 

nr 

LC.  '"*  •'  ^^'^^  TO  DUE  OA .  E. 

DUE  AS  STAMPED  BELOW 


NOV  15 1987 


,rNOV3  0l9>7 


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UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA.  BERKELEY 
FORM  NO.  DD6,  60m.  1  /83  BERKELEY.  CA  94720 


LD  ll-I0Om-T.*40(6930i) 


U.C.  BERKELEY  LIBRARIES 

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